3 former DNC chairs write letter advocating for virtual roll call for Biden ahead of convention

Amid the Democratic Party’s decision to move ahead with holding a virtual roll call to nominate President Joe Biden in the coming weeks – before the Democratic National Convention in August in Chicago – three former heads of the DNC have weighed in to back the process, calling it the “wisest course.”

The letter, sent to members of the DNC’s Rules Committee on Tuesday and penned by former DNC chairs Donna Brazile, Howard Dean and Terry McAuliffe — and obtained by CNN — says:

“We believe that a virtual process—before the in-person Convention begins in Chicago on August 19, 2024—is necessary to ensure that the Democratic nominees for president and vice president appear on the ballot in every state and in the District of Columbia without basis for legal challenge.”

The three ex-chairs goes on to say that “a different approach risks disenfranchising millions of voters and clouding the Democratic path to victory.”

Notably, Brazile, Dean and McAuliffe said that the virtual roll call “need not be immediate” – but should finish before August 7 to not run into any potential legal issues related to Biden’s ability to get on the ballot in Ohio. As CNN reported, some Biden allies have been pushing to step on the gas on the virtual roll call vote, hoping that the president’s nomination can be locked up as quickly as possible.

Some context: Democrats have been planning for weeks to conclude the nomination process before August 7. But still, if voting were to begin Sunday or soon thereafter, that would mark an aggressive timeline and draw fresh scrutiny from other Democrats eager for Biden to acknowledge his challenges and step aside.